With so many e-commerce websites popping up every day on every corner of the internet, it’s harder than ever to break through the noise. As a business, you need to be noticed by your audience, but that’s easier said than done. You need the right strategy to make an impact against big brands like Amazon which dominate the marketplace. Here are 7 tips for improving your e-commerce strategy.

1. Understand Your AudienceThough easy to overlook, your audience is the most important part of your business. A lot of businesses focus on themselves. The focus should be on your audience, and how to better understand them. If you don’t know who you’re speaking to, nobody will listen. That’s why you need to know exactly who you’re speaking to with your e-commerce strategy. 2. SEOSEO isn’t just for big businesses. It’s for every business. Search Engine Optimization is a key part of your ecommerce strategy if you want to be seen by the right audience.As an e-commerce business, you’re fighting for the right customers in your industry. If you want your audience to find you in their search, you need to have your website optimized with the best keywords for your industry. You need to rank highly for your keywords and descriptions to make sure your customers can find you over the competition. This Earned Solutions infographic explains the importance of optimizing your e-commerce website. Developing a strong SEO strategy is the best way to ensure your website is actually being seen.3. Easy CheckoutMost e-commerce websites focus on the buying experience while they should be focusing on the checkout experience. A poor checkout experience is the main reason why so many customers abandon their carts before checkout, claims merchant platform Shopify. Your checkout process should be simple and to the point. 4. Mobile-FriendlyBy 2018, more users are accessing the web by mobile device than ever before. Marketing expert ClickZ.com reports many shoppers even prefer to shop from their phone! Your e-commerce website needs to be able to perform just as well on a mobile phone or tablet as it does on a desktop computer.5. Social MediaSocial media is one of the biggest marketing tools of today, yet a lot of e-commerce websites are falling short. Social media lets you break barriers between yourself and your customers so you can learn more about your audience. You can speak directly to your customers as a human being, not a computer screen. This is how you build relationships that last!6. Content MarketingContent marketing is on the rise, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. As an e-commerce business, you can use content marketing to educate your audience before they buy from you. Nobody likes to be sold to, so include relevant content on your blog that creates value for your audience beyond simply selling to them. They’ll learn to trust you over your competition! 7. Listen to FeedbackAs an e-commerce website, you don’t speak to customers in person on a daily basis. This means it’s harder to know when there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. Face this heads-on by creating a plan for listening to customer feedback. Include surveys after a customer orders from your website so your audience has a chance to be heard. People like to know you’re listening. Best E-Commerce StrategyRunning a successful e-commerce business in 2018 means having the right strategy. Your e-commerce strategy says a lot about your business. The 7 tips above will help your website be seen by the right customers while pushing you ahead of the competition. The right strategy will put your business in front of the best customers while the wrong one will leave you struggling to be seen in this market. Follow the 7 tips above to grow your e-commerce business into a competitive force!